2003 Press Release
12/01/2003Saudi Ambassador denies reports of any change in Saudi aid to Iaq[Washington, DC]-- In response to a story in the Los Angeles Times that Saudi Arabia will withhold support to Iraq until the security situation stabilizes, the Saudi Ambassador to the U.S. Prince Bandar bin Sultan stated the following:

“Saudi Arabia is committed to supporting the reconstruction of Iraq and firmly believes that the United States should not go it alone. We stand with the world community in efforts to bring stability and peace to Iraq and relieve the suffering of the Iraqi people. To that end, we have already provided more than $60 million in aid to the Iraqi people, including food, water, medicine and supplies. We also continue to maintain a field hospital in Baghdad with over 150 medical staff that has conducted thousands of medical operations and has evacuated more intensive cases to Saudi Arabia for special treatment. Saudi Arabia has also provided ten water purification plants to areas where potable water has been in short supply. There is no change in the commitments that Saudi Arabia made at the donor’s conference in Madrid and any reports of such changes are not correct.”